A five-year-old girl died on Tuesday evening after she was run over by a speeding matatu on the Embu-Meru highway. Witnesses said the nursery school pupil at DEB Kangaru Primary School was going home with her colleagues at around 5pm when the accident occurred. They said a speeding van tried to avoid hitting cattle knocked her. Zacharia Njue, the school’s Chairman said that the girl was running away from the cattle at the Kapingazi River bridge. He said the cattle moved towards the girl, who was being held by another pupil, before she tried to cross the road. Njue said the girl was taken to...
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Girl, 5, dies in road accident
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North Rift counties reject deal on ambulance
SOME counties in the North Rift have rejected a deal to hire ambulances from the Kenya Red Cross Society and pay monthly charges. Some of the counties in Western Kenya have already signed the deal to hire the ambulances for Sh600,000 a month. Elgeyo Marakwet health executive Stephen Biwott said the county has discussed implications of the hiring deal and resolved to buy their own ambulances. “It will be too costly to hire the ambulances and we have opted to buy our own,” he said. Biwott was speaking to journalists in Iten town yesterday. He said the county will buy five ambulances at the...
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Traders protest Pkosing slams stalls removal
More than 300 traders operating in Nakuru town yesterday staged a demonstration along Nakuru, Eldoret highway after they found their stalls destroyed by officers of county government. The busy highway was rendered impassible for almost two hours in the morning with police from central police station using tear gas and rubber bullet to diapers the traders. The traders said that they were never consulted by the office of the governor before they destroyed the stalls on Tuesday night. “The county officers came at night and removed all our stalls without giving any reason to us, so we wonder what...
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Chamber to sue over finance bill
The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mombasa chapter has threatened to move to court if the county government fails to suspend the finance bill from debate. Chairman James Mureu said the bill violates the rights of the public and will scare away investors. “We do not reject the finance bill. What we ask for is the suspension of the bill until we deliberate on it,” he said.
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Boy killed as he fetches water
A 13-year-old boy died on Tuesday after he fell into a well in Ilan location, Lagdera constituency. Bashir Hassan, a standard four pupil pupil was drawing water from the 40-feet well, when a wall collapsed and buried him. Area sub-chief Issa Salan said the boy was in the company of his colleagues. He said due to drought, villagers are forced to dig wells to get water. Salan said villagers went to the scene to rescue the boy after getting information but it was too late. He said scarcity of water remains a big challenge in the region.
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Savula backs removal of leaders
LUGARI MP Ayub Savula was behind the removal of the majority leader Reuben Nyangweso and minority leader Stephen Ambulwa of Kakamega county assembly, a section of MCAs have said. THE MCAs said Savula assisted in mobilising them to oust the two last Thursday over "incompetence" . Ngangweso and Ambulwa were replaced by Dennis Wekesa of Bunyala Central ward and Titus Kwomah of Chekalini ward respectively. Savula and Navakholo MP Emannuel Wangwe held a closed-door meeting with MCAs at Mwauda club in Kakamega on Tuesday to strategise on how to approach issue as a team. Speaking yesterday, Savula...
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Youth polytechnics urged to offer practical lessons
YOUTH polytechnics in Trans Nzoia county have been asked to offer practical skills to their students. Education executive Isaac Kogo said most youth polytechnics merely offer theoretical skills at the expense of practical lessons. “We will not condone this habit. It is worrying that some of these institutions rarely produce anything even wooden chairs,” he said. Kogo was speaking during a funds drive in aid of Kapchepsir Youth Polytechnic in Cherangany village on Tuesday.
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Machakos traders in court to block rates
TRADERS in Machakos have moved to court to block the county government from implementing new rates contained in the Finance Act of 2013. The case was brought before the Machakos law courts on Tuesday evening after it was transferred from Nairobi by Justice David Majanja. The traders have sued the county government for allegedly increasing the rates without public participation. Their lawyer, John Khaminwa, told High Court Judge Lilian Mutende that the matter is urgent as it touches on the traders’ livelihoods. The case will be heard on February 10.
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Bad roads to be tarmacked
Bungoma The county government will tarmac at least 250km of roads this year. Speaking to the star yesterday, Roads executive Stephen Nendela said they will upgrade 19 urban roads and 22 rural roads. He said the urban roads include Simba Street in the CBD. Residents have said the street is in a poor state.
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Kapsoya public land grabbed
RESIDENTS of Kapsoya in Uasin Gishu county have appealed to Lands Secretary Charity Ngilu to reposses grabbed land in the estate. Kapsoya Welfare Association leaders Kiplagat Tallam and Benjamin Tireito said some private developers have grabbed public land. Tallam said the land includes a playground, market place and a railway reserve. They were speaking to the Star in Eldoret town yesterday. “We cannot sit and watch public utility being grabbed by some selfish individuals,” Tireito said. The residents have threatened to take action to ensure the land is reverted back to the locals.
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Unions back Atwoli over NSSF scam
Trade unions affiliated to COTU have backed Secretary genarl Francis Atwoli over his stance on the controversial NSSF Tasia housing project deal. They are Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union and Kenya Union of Commercial Food and Allied Workers. Kericho KPAWU branch secretary Joshua Maywen and his KUCFAW counterpart Alhaji Abdullahi said Atwoli was right to accuse Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi in the Sh5 billion scam. “He is the COTU boss and a member of the NSSF board and is better placed to accuse anyone out to subject NSSF money to dubious tenders,” Maywen said.
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Coffee under single agency
Counties in Central Kenya have agreed to market their coffee produce together in a programme aimed at improving the welfare of farmers. Kirinyaga Governor Joseph Ndathi yesterday said four counties—Kirinyaga, Embu, Murang’a and Nyeri—have agreed to centrally market their produce. They will look for buyers and marketers as a single agency and negotiate for better prices for their coffee. He said the coffee from the four counties will be taken to Sagana KPCU milling plant where it will be processed and marketed as single unit.
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Joyce Lay wants KCPE scrapped
Taita Taveta county MP Joyce Lay wants the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education scrapped. Lay said that the system is more focused on passing examinations at the expense of the students gaining knowledge. Speaking at Mwatate primary school during a tour of the school on Friday last week, the MP said that KCPE has increasingly contributed to the cut-throat competition amongst schools at the expense of nurturing skills and true learning in schools. "Today, schools are more interested in the Mean Score than producing individual pupils competent enough to face the many challenges posed by life...
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Man in court for rape and defilement attempt
A man yesterday appeared in a Kapenguria court on attempted rape and defilement charges. The first accused, Isaac Lochil denied attempting to rape a woman on October 9, 2013 at Kamwino junction in West Pokot county. The court heard that the woman hired a boda boda which was flagged down by Lochil. The accused pleaded not guilty before resident magistrate Martin Wachira and was released on a Sh100,000 bond. The case will continue on February 12.
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Rep calls for unity over boundary
RESIDENTS living at disputed boundary between Kwale and Taita Taveta County have been urged to avoid discriminating themselves but instead embrace developments projects initiated by Governor Salim Mvurya. Mwatate Mwavumbo ward representative Anthony Lukuni said the disputed area belongs not to Taita or Kwale people and therefore they should work together for development. Speaking in Kwale yesterday Lukuni said that it is high time that locals living in the area join hands and benefit from the developments projects and initiatives that Kwale government is offering. He said that the boundary...
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Waiganjo says life in danger
Police imposter Joshua Waiganjo is now alleging that his life is in danger and has written a letter to the Commissioner of Prison requesting protection. A week after word went round in the social media that he had passed on, Waiganjo pointed an accusing finger to some warders at the Naivasha G.K prison for his woes. In the letter, Waiganjo alleged that he had given a senior officer in the prison Sh66,200 to assist in the publication of his book but in vain. He added that two senior officers in the prison had intimidated him and failed to take him to hospital despite his deteriorating health.“...
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Kinango leader warns ODM
A Samburu MCA has warned that ODM may lose popularity if democracy is not exercised in the February 28 party elections. Chengoni ward representative Chirema Kombo said recent utterances by a section of politicians from Nyanza could ruin the party's future. He said calls by the politicians that the region retains the secretary general position is "outdated". Chirema was speaking at Kalalani villagein Kinango district yesterday.
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Mbeere boy dies after drinking mum's tea
A two-year-old boy died on Monday night while his aunt was hospitalised after his mother served them tea. Cecilia Muthoni prepared tea for the boy, his father Patrick Njoroge and aunt Hellen Wambui in Mbita sublocation of Mbeere South district. Mbeere South police boss Bernstein Shari said the matter was reported to the police by Mbita sublocation chief Bedan Nyagah. Shari said Wambui and the boy started vomiting after they took the tea. He said the boy died on his way to Siakago District Hospital while Wambui was admitted. His body was taken to Embu Level Five Hospital mortuary. Shari said...
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Dad imprisoned for damaging son's bike
A man who damaged a bicycle that he had bought his son was yesterday jailed for 18 months. Joseph Njeru was sentenced by Embu chief magistrate Margaret Wachira after pleading guilty to damaging his 17-year-old son’s bicycle on January 3 at Kathangari sub-location in Embu North district. Wachira declined to sentence Njeru to a community service after the probation officer’s report revealed he had been convicted before. She gave Njeru 14 days period to appeal against the sentence.
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Rep donates uniform to more than 500 pupils
Bunyala North ward representative Fred Musirimba has donated school uniform to more than 500 pupils in two public primary schools. Speaking after handing out the uniforms on Tuesday, Musirimba said it is disturbing to see children go to school in worn out garments. “It is shameful for a pupil especially a girl to wear torn school uniform that exposes their nudity. Parents should strive to ensure their children wear decent uniforms,” he said. Musirimba said he will allocate funds to improve academic performance.
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